Wireless operators gain leverage with quadruple-play integrated services The interesting thing here is that while the dynamic of service bundling is to reduce the margin for any of the services in the bundle, integrated services do the opposite. Why? The difference is in the value perception of the consumer. When services are integrated across service delivery networks, they become more useful and more available. People are willing to pay extra for such services, especially if the perception is that such services are complex and hard to deliver.
Wireless is the key to service integration because it provides the mobility element for any service offering. And because many of the communications services that consumers most value live in the wireless world, they are probably the ones consumers want to see delivered in an integrated way.
What's ironic is that fixed infrastructure carriers are likely to be highly dependent on either their mobile assets or mobile partners for the high-value features that are necessary to elevate the value of the overall package. As a result, wireless operators will find that they have increasing leverage over service definition and opportunities as the bundled triple-play offerings evolve to integrated quad-play services.
What this means, in practice, is that wireless network operators need to format new services to blend easily with other delivery modalities. This doesn't mean services that can go either way; it means services that can easily transfer across modalities. Imagine Web surfing that can begin on a PC, transfer over to the video display and then transfer over to a wireless device, seamlessly and with no loss of information. In other words, they are services that follow consumers regardless of where they are.
Is that easy? Probably not, but it is the only way to arrest the decline in margin associated with delivering communications services. Wireless provides the edge. Quad play is simply integrated services delivered by leveraging wireless technology.
Mike Jude is a program manager at Stratecast/Frost & Sullivan in charge of the consumer communication services practice
This article originally appeared on SearchTelecom.com
What's ironic is that fixed infrastructure carriers are likely to be highly dependent on either their mobile assets or mobile partners for the high-value features that are necessary to elevate the value of the overall package. As a result, wireless operators will find that they have increasing leverage over service definition and opportunities as the bundled triple-play offerings evolve to integrated quad-play services.
What this means, in practice, is that wireless network operators need to format new services to blend easily with other delivery modalities. This doesn't mean services that can go either way; it means services that can easily transfer across modalities. Imagine Web surfing that can begin on a PC, transfer over to the video display and then transfer over to a wireless device, seamlessly and with no loss of information. In other words, they are services that follow consumers regardless of where they are.
Is that easy? Probably not, but it is the only way to arrest the decline in margin associated with delivering communications services. Wireless provides the edge. Quad play is simply integrated services delivered by leveraging wireless technology.
Mike Jude is a program manager at Stratecast/Frost & Sullivan in charge of the consumer communication services practice
This article originally appeared on SearchTelecom.com